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Zucchini ‘Noodle’ Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Think they won’t eat zucchini? Think again!

This is a dish that elevates the humble zucchini to impressive new heights. People (like my husband) who don’t love cooked zucchini seem to adore this dish, perhaps because it has such a bright, fresh flavour. It makes a great lunch on its own, or a tasty side dish for grilled meat or fish. I’ve even eaten it stuffed in a pita and that was a meal to remember.

Ingredients

2 small green or yellow zucchini

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp maple syrup or honey

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

½ tsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp olive oil (plain or flavoured with a little heat)

1 tbsp minced sweet onion

1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces

Directions

With a spiralizer, turn the zucchini into ‘noodles’. You can also prepare this dish by slicing them very thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife. Put the zucchini in a bowl and set aside.

In a small jar with a tight lid, combine lemon zest and juice, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper, thyme leaves, Dijon, olive oil and finely minced sweet onion. Cover and shake well to combine and emulsify. Taste and adjust lemon, oil or salt to suit your preferences.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the zucchini and toss gently to combine.

If serving later, cover and refrigerate for up to four hours.

When ready to serve, scatter pecans over the top and serve immediately.

Paula Roy readily admits that she’s obsessed with food. Typically, it’s the first thing she thinks of in the morning and the last of the day as well. You would be mistaken to think she’s developing wrinkles – they are actually permanent creases caused by falling asleep while reading cookbooks in bed. She recognizes that not everyone shares her passion for cooking, so she channels much of her enthusiasm into creating family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare and yield delicious results.

Although her husband and kids are eager taste testers, Paula knows she’ll eventually be paying for their therapy thanks to her constant cries of, “don’t touch that plate, I haven’t taken a photo yet!”

Paula loves to travel and explore whatever culinary treasures a destination has to offer. In addition to leading cooking classes and making frequent TV appearances, she’s also a busy freelance writer and serves as the food editor of popular style magazine Ottawa At Home. In addition to her contributions for YMC, you can also follow Paula’s edible adventures through her blog, Constantly Cooking, and keep up with her daily kitchen antics on Twitter and Instagram.